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Longboard Buyers Guide

What are the best types of longboards? That’s the question most riders ask themselves before purchasing a longboard. The answer to that question is based on a number of factors. Each rider and riding style is different, therefore there is no real right or wrong answer. Choosing the right longboard all depends on what type of riding you will be doing, and how comfortable you will feel riding it. We created this guide to longboards to help you decide which board will be the right fit for you. Please look it over, and let us know if you have any questions. We'll start with the different styles of boards.

Drop Through Longboards

This style of board is by far the most common. It features a deck that has holes in the nose and tail, in order to drop the trucks through the deck. This allows the board to ride low and stable. Drop through (or sometimes referred to as drop thru) are easy to ride, and perfect for many types of riding. Drop through longboards are great for beginner and intermediate riders. They are good for pushing, freeride, sliding, cruising, carving, and even downhill. Drop through boards come in either stiff or flexy decks. The stiff decks are more stable, and better for speed. Below are some examples of a popular drop through boards, the Arbor Axis Photo Series 2018 Longboard, the Landyachtz Battle Axe 40 Chill Bird Longboard, and the DB Paradigm 41 Longboard.

Flexy drop through longboards are typically made of bamboo and fiberglass, and actually flex when you ride them, similar to a snowboard. They are great for cruising, carving, and freeride. Flexy longboards usually have ranges of flex, based on the riders weight. These boards are good for intermediate riders, they may be a bit unstable for beginners. Below are a couple examples of a popular flexy drop through boards, the Loaded Icarus longboard, and the Loaded Dervish Sama Longboard, and the Loaded Tan Tien Longboard.

Topmount Longboards

Topmount longboards are a style of boards where the trucks are mounted directly to the bottom of the deck. They are not dropped through. By top mounting the trucks, it allows for more leverage, as well as being able to put your feet directly over the trucks and wheels. Topmount longboards are typically used for downhill and freeride styles of riding. There are many different shapes of topmounts, but here’s some examples of popular ones, the Moonshine Outlaw Longboard, the Landyachtz Osteon Longboard, and the Loaded Tesseract Longboard.

Drop Down Longboards

Drop Down Longboards are exactly what they sound like, boards that drop down. The foot platform is dropped down, allowing for the board to ride ultra low to the ground, and making it a very stable ride. Drop down longboards are typically popular with beginners to intermediate riders, since they are very easy to ride. There is no flex to these boards, and the trucks are topmounted to the deck. Drop Downs are great longboards for beginner, intermediate, and even pro riders. Drop downs have the same purpose as a drop through, to get the rider low to the ground. They ride a bit different than drop throughs though, allowing for more leverage and a tighter turn, with the topmounted trucks. Here’s are some examples of popular drop down longboards, the Landyachtz Switch 40 Longboard, and the Landyachtz Evo Longboard 2018.

Double Drop Longboards

Double drop longboards feature a deck that not only drops down, but also has drop through mounting. This combines the best of both worlds, and these boards ride super low to the ground. This makes them very stable and easy to ride, making them great longboards for beginners and intermediate riders. Double drop boards are great for cruising, pushing, and even some downhill. Because of the design, they don’t carve very sharp, but still turn very easily. Some popular double drop longboards are the Landyachtz Switchblade 40 Longboard 2018, the Arbor Dropcruiser Artist Series Longboard, and the Bustin Nobach Longboard.

Mini Cruiser Longboard Skateboards

Mini Cruisers are a mix of longboards and skateboards. They feature a shorter deck, but larger wheels than a traditional skateboard. The wheels are typically softer as well, allowing the rider to easily cruise on the board without having to worry about cracks and bumps in the pavement. Mini Cruiser longboards are great for people who are looking for a longboard feel, but want the portability of a skateboard. Some top mini cruiser boards are the Landyachtz Dinghy and Tug Boat, and the Arbor Pilsner.

Dancer Longboards

Dancer Longboard are a style of board that is long with enough space for the rider to walk or “dance” on the board. Typically these boards feature some amount of flex, and are made for freestyle. Because of the size, they are not the most portable boards. Longboard dancing is becoming very popular, and there are a number of brands who are making great dancers these days. Some of the most popular dancer longboards on the market are the Loaded Bhangra and Tarab, Landyachtz Stratus, and Bustin Daenseu. Below are some examples.

Push / Commuter Longboards

Push and cummuter type longboards ride low and stable, and are comfortable to ride for long distances. These boards usually feature a drop through, drop down, or double drop design. They are typically not very long, and easy to transport. Push / Commuter boards are great for all skill levels of riding. They are all about ease and comfort, and the ability to glide on the pavement for miles. A few of the most popular push / commuter boards are the Pantheon Ember Longboard, the Bustin Maestro Longboard, and the Pantheon Trip Longboard.

Electric Longboards

Electric Longboards are basically longboards with a battery on them so you can control and move them electronically. Electric longboards are very easy to ride, you don’t have to push, and they go up to 24mph. There are few different types of electric longboards, there are stiff ones, flexible ones, and mini ones. The stiff and stable ones are made by Inboard Electric Longboards. These boards ride smooth and are a good option for heavier rides, because there is no flex in the deck. They are controlled by a blue tooth remote. Click the picture of the Inboard M1 Electric Longboard below for more details.

Flexible Electric Skateboards are made by Boosted Boards. They are made out of bamboo, and also feature a blue tooth remote to control them. Since the deck is a bamboo and fiberglass build, they flex when you ride them, providing shock absorbent over cracks and bumps. The Boosted Plus Electric Longboard is a flexible board that goes up to 22mph. Check out more info on the Boosted Plus Electric Longboard HERE.

The Boosted Stealth Electric Longboard features a flexible composite deck, and goes up to 24mph. It has an extended range lithium ion battery, and is rated the best electric longboard on the market. Check out more information on the new Boosted Boards Stealth Longboard HERE.

Mini electric longboards are basically shorter boards, that still feature many of the same great features of full size electric skateboards. The Boosted Boards Mini S Electric Longboard Skateboard goes up to 18 mph on a 7 mile battery. Check out more info on Boosted Mini S HERE. The Boosted Mini X a the souped up mini electric longboard, and goes up to 20mph on a 14 mile extended range battery. Check out more information on the Boosted Mini X HERE.

That sums our guide to longboards. Take a look through our site for more information on specific types of longboards, and let us know if you have any questions or need assistance in choosing or setting up your next longboard!